As Alison Redford met the Progressive Conservative Party board Saturday amid concerns about her troubled leadership, some Tory MLAs used social media to air less-than-subtle grievances about the Alberta premier and caucus representatives.

Mary Anne Jablonski, who holds the seat for Red Deer North, tweeted that fellow MLAs in attendance at the meeting “do not represent me,” a comment shared on Twitter by Edmonton Riverside MLA Steve Young.

On Friday, cabinet minister Doug Griffiths raised eyebrows on Twitter with a series of motivational-style tweets that appeared to question Redford’s ability to govern the party.

One read: “Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer give a damn,” while another said “You can judge the character of a man by the way he treats his inferiors.”

Meanwhile, two Tory MLAs joined the social media backlash over Alberta associate minister Sandra Jansen’s controversial “electrician” remarks made on a political television show Friday.

Jansen, who leads the government’s anti-bullying initiative, said former Tory backbencher Len Webber “should go back to being an electrician” after he left the government caucus amid claims that Redford is a bully.

Jansen later apologized, but her comments touched a nerve among some of her colleagues. “My son is an electrician and he is brilliant,” said a tweet from Sherwood Park PC MLA Cathy Olesen, which included the hashtag “bully.”

The controversy continued Saturday, with Edmonton Decore MLA Janice Sarich criticizing Jansen on Twitter: “My son is an electrician apprentice and my family is very proud of him. Comments by Assoc Minister r disturbing.”

But the social media outbursts from within the PC party sparked scorn from some political rivals, with Wildrose MLA Rob Anderson tweeting Saturday: “I’m no Redford fan, but the hypocrisy of these demoted MLAs who did nothing but fawn over Redford’s policies til now is beyond lame.”

Such public displays of disagreement could take a toll on the PCs, political observers argue.

Division within the party ranks suggests the long-governing Tories and individual MLAs are showing the strains of political longevity, said Chaldeans Mensah, associate professor of political science at MacEwan University.

“The party is showing a lack of focus. Social media attacks really are damaging in terms of the public perception of the party’s ability to stick together as a united group and prepare for the next election,” Mensah said.

Any hint of social media rebellion is remarkable among insiders of any party, but especially during a leadership crisis, said Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt.

Without the usual consequences for public criticism, there’s little to stop Jablonski, Griffiths and others from speaking their mind. The biggest danger to Redford remains within the party, Bratt said. “It’s not been a good couple of weeks for her and social media allows the story to keep percolating.”

If MLAs are feeling emboldened to speak, there could be more trouble ahead, he added.

“The legislature is due for a break in about two weeks and they are all going back to the curling rinks and coffee shops in various parts of Alberta. They could be getting an earful about Redford and when they return to Edmonton, we’ll see what happens.”

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